Tales of the Valiant Redux

I am warming up to the game as we get closer to this Tales of the Valliant's release.

I had felt a slight sense of regret, having Level Up A5E already as my decolonized 5E of choice, but I see a place for ToV in the "new 5E" games. ToV will be the "basic 5E" - the easy to get into and play one. I felt a pang of regret shortly after the project hit its target, with the criticism that it was "just another 5E" biting a little hard. That hurt, and those words made me feel a little regret.

The world needs a better presented and easy-to-follow 5E like the OSR needs B/X.

If Level Up A5E is my Labyrinth Lord, ToV is my Old School Essentials.

Do I "feel bad" that OSE doesn't have some things that LL has? Do I "not play it?" No, and no. ToV is shaping up to be a better laid-out and organized game compared to even the Wizards books. There is a lot more care and effort put into this game. Like A5E, I bet the math and exploits are getting fixed.

5E, without Wizards, is still a good game. The rules system didn't fire people before the holidays, attack the hobby, say stupid stuff weekly, or try to pull the OGL. 5E didn't create Tasha's or any of the power gaming expansions. And we did not have to be here. But we are.

So let's move forward.

The project has been delayed until May since the planned 352-page books have expanded to 384 pages, so they need the time to proofread and beta test. That is another 64 pages of the game, which is very welcome. I love how they are expanding the books for no extra cost, and it is a huge thank you to the community. This generosity will go a long way.

They announced a DM's Guide with optional rules supporting the pillars of play (among other optional rules). I look forward to seeing what they come up with. The complete game plus DMG will clock in at nearly 1,000 pages. This is a serious game, well on its way to being the Pathfinder 1e to the 2024 book's 4E, and a solid alternative - familiar but improved in many ways.

The thing is, 5E is amazingly easy to house rule. A more straightforward base game like ToV will better fit modified 5E games than a heavily customized version of 5E like Level Up A5E. I can get some of what A5E has by doubling up the background picks. Some other stuff, like A5E's martial options - are a wait-and-see. Exploration and social encounters are also a wait-and-see for the DM's Guide.

But the Old School Essentials comparison for ToV is apt here. This is shaping up to be a very easy-to-learn game. The page layouts and art are equal to any game on the market, except for Free League. The rules are not so heavily modded you need to re-learn them completely.

Could this replace A5E for me?

We will know in May.

And the DM's Guide will play a massive part in that with the options they present.